WORD BIBLICAL COMMENTARY VOLUME 6B Deuteronomy 21:10–34:12 DUANE L
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WORD BIBLICAL COMMENTARY VOLUME 6B Deuteronomy 21:10–34:12 DUANE L. CHRISTENSEN General Editors Bruce M. Metzger † David A. Hubbard † Glenn W. Barker Old Testament Editor John D. W. Watts New Testament Editor Ralph P. Martin WORD BOOKS, PUBLISHER • DALLAS, TEXAS Word Biblical Commentary Deuteronomy 21:10–34:12 Copyright © 2002 by Thomas Nelson, inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Main entry under title: Word biblical commentary. Includes bibliographies. 1. Bible—Commentaries—Collected works. BS491.2.W67 220.7ʹ7 81-71768 ISBN 0-8499-1032-3 (v. 6B) AACR2 Scripture quotations in the body of the commentary, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946 (renewed 1973), 1956, and © 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and are used by permission. The author’s own translation of the text appears in italic type under the heading Translation. To Casper J. Labuschagne, , ס וֹ פֵ ר colleague, friend, and modern for his work on the numerical composition of the Bible Table of Contents Editorial Preface Author’s Preface Abbreviations MAIN BIBLIOGRAPHY Chronological Bibliography of Commentaries on Deuteronomy Monographs and Selected Books on Deuteronomy Festschriften (with significant articles on Deuteronomy) INTRODUCTION Text and Versions of Deuteronomy Review of Critical Research Detailed Outline of Deuteronomy EXCURSUSES Law, Poetry, and Music in Ancient Israel Deuteronomy in the Canonical Process The Triennial Cycle of Torah Readings in Palestinian Judaism The Numeruswechsel in Deuteronomy Deuteronomy as a Numerical Composition Travel Notices in Deut 1–3 and 31–34 Holy War as Celebrated Event in Ancient Israel TEXT AND COMMENTARY READING 1: The Eisodus into the Promised Land under Moses (1:1–3:22) A. Summons to Enter the Promised Land (1:1–8) B. Organization of the People for Life in the Land (1:9–18) C. Israel’s Unholy War (1:19–2:1) D. The March of Conquest from Mount Seir to the Promised Land (2:2–25) E. YHWH’s Holy War—Conquest of Sihon and Og in Transjordan (2:26–3:11) F. Distribution of the Land in Transjordan (3:12–17) G. Summons to Take Possession of the Promised Land (3:18–22) READING 2: The Essence of the Covenant—Moses and the Ten Words (3:23–7:11) A. Transition from Moses to Joshua: “Crossing Over” (3:23–29) B. Exhortation to Keep the Torah—Focus on the First Two Commandments (4:1–40) 1. Israel’s Relationship with YHWH (4:1–10) 2. Israel Is to Worship the Creator—Not Created images (4:11–24) 3. The Mighty Acts of God in Israel’s Behalf (4:25–40) C. Transition and Introduction to the Ten Words of the Torah (4:41–49) 1. Moses Set Apart Three Cities of Refuge (4:41–43) 2. This Is the Torah—Recapitulation of 1:1–5 (4:44–49) D. Theophany and Covenant at Horeb—Giving of the Ten Words (5:1–22) 1. The First Three Commandments—Our Relationship to God (5:1–11) 2. The Fourth Commandment—Observing the Sabbath (5:12–15) 3. The Fifth through the Tenth Commandments—Our Relationship to Others (5:16–21) 4. YHWH’s Theophany and Covenant (5:22) E. God’s Desire Is for Us to Fear Him by Keeping the Torah (5:23–6:3) F. Sermonic Elaboration of the First Commandments (6:4–25) 1. The Great Commandment Is to Love God (6:4–9) 2–3. When You Enter the Land, Fear YHWH and Do Not Worship Other Gods (6:10–15) 4–7. Be Careful to Keep the Commandments (6:16–25) G. They Practice Holiness in the Land by Keeping the Torah (7:1–11) READING 3: Life in the Promised Land—The Great Peroration (7:12–11:25) A. You Will Be Blessed above All the Peoples If You Obey (7:12–26) B. Remember the Lessons from the Wanderings in the Wilderness (8:1–20) C. Hear, O Israel, You Are about to Cross the Jordan (9:1–29) 1. The First Three Units (9:1–7) 2. Units Four Through Ten (9:8–29) D. At That Time YHWH Spoke the Ten Words (10:1–7) E. At That Time YHWH Set Apart the Tribe of Levi (10:8–11) F. Love God and Remember What He Did for You in the Wilderness (10:12–11:9) G. If You Love God, You Will Possess the Promised Land (11:10–25) READING 4: Laws on Human Affairs in Relation to God (11:26–16:17) A. Covenant Renewal under Moses in Moab and Joshua at Shechem (11:26–32) B. Laws That Ensure Exclusive Worship of YHWH—No Idolatry (12:1–13:19 [Eng. 18]) 1. Destroy Pagan Shrines and Worship YHWH Alone (12:1–7) 2. Worship YHWH with Your Offerings at the Central Sanctuary (12:8–12) 3. Sacred and Secular Slaughter in Ancient Israel (12:13–28) 4. Shun Canaanite Religious Practices (12:29–13:1 [Eng. 12:29–32]) 5. Idolatry Is a Capital Offense, So Purge the Evil from Your Midst (13:2–19 [Eng. 13:1– 18]) a. Idolatry Instigated by a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams (13:2–6 [Eng. 1–5]) b. Idolatry Instigated by a Close Relative or Dear Friend (13:7–12 [Eng. 6–11]) c. Idolatry in Which an Entire Town Is Subverted (13:13–19 [Eng. 12–18]) C. Laws of Holiness in Matters of Daily Life (14:1–21) D. Periodic Measures to Provide for the Poor—Social Ethics (14:22–15:23) 1. The Annual and Triennial Tithes (14:22–29) 2. Protection of the Poor (15:1–11) 3. Manumission of Indentured Servants in the Seventh Year (15:12–18) 4. Sacrifice of Firstborn Livestock (15:19–23) E. The Pilgrimage Festivals (16:1–17) 1. The Passover Sacrifice and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (16:1–8) 2. The Festival of Weeks (16:9–12) 3–4. The Festival of Booths and Summary (16:13–17) READING 5: Laws on Leadership and Authority in Ancient Israel (16:18–21:9) A. Laws on Justice and Forbidden Worship Practices (16:18–17:13) 1. Appointment of Judges and Forbidden Worship Practices (16:18–17:1) 2. Law on Idolatry within the Gates of Local Towns in the Land (17:2–7) 3. Law of the Central Tribunal—A Court of Referral (17:8–13) B. Law of the King (17:14–20) C. Law of the Levitical Priests (18:1–8) D. Law of the Prophets (18:9–22) E. Laws concerning the Courts—Judicial and Military Matters (19:1–21:9) 1. Cities of Asylum—Laws on Manslaughter and Murder (19:1–13) 2. Laws on Encroachment and Witnesses in Court (19:14–21) 3. Intentional Killing—Warfare and Military Deferments (20:1–20) a. Preparing the Army for Battle (20:1–9) b. Behavior during a Siege in Holy War (20:10–20) 4. Law on Unsolved Murder—Role of Elders and Judges (21:1–9) READING 6: Forty-three Laws on Human Affairs in Relation to Others (21:10–25:19) A. Three Laws on Marriage and Family (21:10–21) 1. Marriage with a Woman Captured in War (21:10–14) 2. Right of the Firstborn Son in a Polygamous Family (21:15–17) 3. The Punishment of an Insubordinate Son (21:18–21) B. Ten Laws on “True Religion” and Illicit Mixtures (21:22–22:12) 1. Treatment of the Body of an Executed Criminal (21:22–23) 2. Three Laws on “True Religion”—Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself (22:1–5) 3. Not Capturing a Mother Bird along with Her Young (22:6–7) 4. Five Laws on “True Religion” and Illicit Mixtures (22:8–12) C. Seven Laws on Marriage and Sexual Misconduct (22:13–23:1 [Eng. 22:30]) 1. Two Laws on Premarital Unchastity (22:13–21) 2. Two Laws on Adultery (22:22–24) 3. Two Laws on Rape (22:25–29) 4. Prohibition of Marrying One’s Father’s Wife (23:1 [Eng. 22:30]) D. Seven Laws on “True Religion” (23:1–26 [Eng. 22:30–23:25]) 1. Admission to the Assembly of YHWH (23:1–9 [Eng. 22:30–23:8]) 2. Sanctity of the Military Camp (23:10–15 [Eng. 9–14]) 3. Two Laws on “True Religion” (23:16–19 [Eng. 15–18]) 4. Three More Laws on “True Religion” (23:20–26 [Eng. 19–25]) E. Sixteen Laws on Marriage, War, and “True Religion” (24:1–25:19) 1–2. Forbidden Remarriage and Military Deferral of a New Husband (24:1–5) 3–4. Taking a Millstone in Pledge and Theft of a Fellow Israelite (24:6–7) 5. Dealing with “Leprosy” (24:8–9) 6. Taking and Holding Distrained Property (24:10–13) 7. Mistreatment of a Hired Servant—Timely Payment of Wages Due (24:14–15) 8. Transgenerational Punishment Forbidden (24:16) 9–10. Taking a Widow’s Garment in Pledge and Gleanings for the Poor (24:17–22) 11–12. Limits on Flogging and Not Muzzling the Ox (25:1–4) 13. Levirate Marriage (25:5–10) 14. Improper Intervention in a Fight (25:11–13) 15. Honest Weights and Measures (25:13–16) 16. Remember to Hate the Amalekites (25:17–19) READING 7: Public Worship and Covenant Renewal (26:1–29:8 [Eng.